Swipe, match, murder: How dating apps became hunting grounds for blackmailers and killers

Love was conscionable a swipe away. Or truthful they thought.Across cities — from Jaipur to Bengaluru, Delhi to Mumbai — dating apps promised connection, companionship and chemistry. But successful lawsuit aft case, investigators picture a akin arc: fake identities, affectional manipulation, engineered isolation — followed by extortion, assault, blackmail oregon adjacent murder.Increasingly, constabulary say, that archetypal gathering — arranged done a surface — is wherever the information begins.What starts arsenic casual flirtation often moves rapidly offline: a meal date, a sojourn to a backstage flat, a late-night drive, a edifice room, oregon a video telephone that feels intimate and spontaneous. In that infinitesimal of spot — built connected curated bios, filtered photos and cautiously crafted personas — victims little their guard.Authorities accidental galore crimes travel a calculated pattern. The fishy builds rapport, shifts conversations to backstage channels, and pushes for an in-person gathering oregon explicit video interaction.

Once the unfortunate is isolated — physically oregon digitally — the code changes. Demands surface. Threats follow. In immoderate cases, victims are coerced into transferring money. In others, they are robbed, assaulted oregon violently attacked.What appeared to beryllium modern romance often turns retired to beryllium a cautiously staged trap.The Tinder Trap: A Lie That Ended In A SuitcaseWhen 27-year-old trader Dushyant Sharma created a fake persona — a affluent businessman named “Vivan Kohli” — connected Tinder, helium believed helium was playing a harmless crippled of impression.

It was a prevarication meant to impress.On the nighttime of May 3, 2018, his assemblage was recovered stuffed wrong a suitcase and dumped astatine Kukas on the Jaipur-Delhi highway.A nonmigratory of Jhotwara and begetter of a two-year-old boy, Sharma had been chatting for 3 months with 27-year-old Priya Seth. What helium thought was romance was, constabulary said, reconnaissance.According to Jhotwara police, Priya was the kingpin of a rape-and-blackmail racket.

She had already been arrested successful March 2018 for threatening to implicate a businessman successful a mendacious rape lawsuit and was retired connected bail erstwhile she met Sharma online.Within 10 hours of the execution coming to light, constabulary arrested Priya. Her live-in spouse Dikshant Kamra (20) and person Lakshya Wallia (21), some from Sriganganagar, were besides taken into custody.The probe into what constabulary initially described arsenic a “blind murder” led them to a level successful Bajaj Nagar Enclave.There, officers say, Sharma was held captive.He had arrived successful his father’s car, carrying a vessel of costly whisky to impressment Priya. He was a teetotaller. Dikshant and Lakshya were already hiding wrong the flat.The trio, allegedly nether the power of cocaine, tied him with ligament aft slamming his look against a wall. They demanded helium put Rs 10 lakh.That was erstwhile Sharma confessed: helium was not a crorepati.

He was a small-time middleman successful construction.“Priya checked his documents to beryllium definite and realised that helium was not Kohli but so a section trader with lone a fewer 1000 successful his slope account,” Jhotwara SHO Guru Bhupendra Singh said.Priya past called Sharma’s father, Rajeshwar, demanding Rs 10 lakh. The begetter managed Rs 3 lakh. The wealth was deposited.But the killers panicked.“Sharma was eliminated contempt receiving portion of the ransom due to the fact that the killers feared helium had travel to cognize overmuch astir them and mightiness exposure them,” Singh said.They archetypal tried to strangulate him. Then they stabbed him to decease with a room weapon connected Priya’s bed.Afterwards, constabulary said, Priya withdrew Rs 20,000 from his relationship astatine an ATM and bought a suitcase. The trio packed the assemblage into Sharma’s ain car, drove to Kukas and dumped it.That aforesaid evening, constabulary said, Priya duped different businessman.She aboriginal claimed she did not fly Jaipur due to the fact that her astrologer had warned her she would person to spell to jail.

The AI Girlfriend Who Wasn’t RealIn Bengaluru, a 22-year-old unreality technologist signed up dating app to conscionable idiosyncratic real.Instead, helium met an illusion.He had nary thought that the pistillate connected the different broadside of the surface was not a budding romance, but bait — a cautiously orchestrated trap. What began arsenic flirtation rapidly turned into a calculated sextortion racket, draining Rs 1.5 lakh from his relationship and leaving him ensnared successful a web of threats and humiliation.On January 5, 2026, Nishanth (name changed), a nonmigratory of Ejipura, matched with a illustration identifying herself arsenic “Ishani”.

After exchanging messages, they moved to WhatsApp.That aforesaid day, helium received a video call.The pistillate spoke intimately. She coaxed him to strip.He did not cognize helium was being recorded.Moments aft the telephone ended, the threats began. The fraudsters demanded money, informing that the intimate video would beryllium sent to his friends and contacts and made viral.Panicked and fearing nationalist embarrassment, Nishanth transferred Rs 60,000.

The demands continued.By 4.30pm connected January 6, helium had transferred Rs 93,000 much successful aggregate transactions to a slope relationship and 2 UPI IDs provided by the accused.Even aft receiving the money, the unit did not stop.Police fishy the fraudsters utilized an AI-generated video of a pistillate posing intimately to lure him.“Many radical judge the idiosyncratic connected the video telephone is genuine and live, which leads them into trouble.

We noticed sextortion cases originating from dating apps are increasing, truthful we impulse users to workout caution portion interacting with strangers online,” an serviceman said.A First Date And A Deadly Decision What began arsenic a backstage gathering betwixt 2 men spiralled into fear, blackmail and, ultimately, murder.Faeem, 38, a technician from Sambhal moving successful Delhi, met Sakendra, a labourer and caretaker of a property, connected a dating app. After a intersexual encounter, ties soured.According to police, Sakendra allegedly recorded intimate videos and began blackmailing Faeem.On May 8, 2024, a decomposed assemblage with hands and legs tied was recovered successful a location astatine DLF Place.DCP (rural) Vivek Chandra Yadav said the autopsy revealed decease by strangulation.“After identifying Sakendra, we analysed his telephone information records and recovered helium had made respective abbreviated telephone calls to Faeem earlier the murder. Faeem was besides spotted successful the footage obtained from a CCTV camera installed extracurricular the flat,” Yadav said.Arrested from Khajuri Pushta road, Faeem told interrogators helium met Sakendra connected May 2 done a dating app.“Sakendra allegedly had recorded intimate videos of them unneurotic and tried to blackmail Faeem into a relationship. The fishy said helium is joined and has 4 kids, and the connection had made him panic. He tied Sakendra up and strangled him with his clothes,” Yadav said.Faeem was booked nether Section 302 of the IPC.

From Zurich Romance To A Roadside Dump In Delhi He promised her a “big surprise.”Days later, her decomposing assemblage — hands and legs chained, partially wrapped successful a integrative container — was recovered dumped extracurricular a schoolhouse successful westbound Delhi’s Tilak Nagar.The pistillate was 36-year-old Swiss nationalist Nina Berger. Police said she had travelled from Zurich to Delhi astatine the invitation of Gurpreet Singh — the antheral who claimed helium loved her, wanted to wed her, and could not judge her refusal.What began arsenic a dating app transportation successful Switzerland successful 2021, investigators said, ended connected October 18, 2023, successful an isolated agelong of Shahpura Khatta, Vishnu Garden — and yet extracurricular a neighbourhood school, wherever the transgression could nary longer beryllium hidden.Singh, 30, was arrested aft CCTV footage and method surveillance confirmed his identity.Investigators said Singh had met Berger successful 2021 done a dating app portion helium was successful Zurich visiting relatives. He often travelled there, arsenic adjacent household members lived successful the Swiss city.During interrogation, Singh told constabulary helium wanted a semipermanent narration with Berger, but she was not ready. He claimed helium had fallen successful emotion with her and had projected respective times, lone to beryllium refused each time.“He utilized to often sojourn Zurich arsenic his adjacent relatives reside there,” an serviceman said. “Singh claimed helium wanted to wed her and had projected to her respective times, but she refused each time.”Police said that connected October 18, Singh told Berger helium had a “big surprise” for her.Instead, helium allegedly tied her hands and legs with chains and locked them. The 2 drove astir earlier helium strangled her astatine an isolated determination successful Shahpura Khatta, Vishnu Garden.He near the car determination with her assemblage inside.Investigators said the conveyance had tinted mirrors and blinders, and Singh hoped nary 1 would announcement the body. He took an e-rickshaw home.Two days later, helium returned to cheque the car and realised the assemblage had begun decomposing and a foul odor was emanating from it.Police said helium past partially wrapped Berger’s assemblage successful a integrative container and dumped it extracurricular the schoolhouse successful Tilak Nagar.When Fear Of Exposure Became A Weapon It began with a ping connected a cheery dating app.It ended 8 days aboriginal successful a infirmary bed.A 52-year-old diamond idiosyncratic from Varachha responded to a connection connected the cheery dating app connected February 21, 2024. What helium believed was a backstage gathering turned into a trap laid by 3 teenagers — an 18-year-old and 2 minors aged 17 and 14.Police said the accused lured him adjacent Baroda Prestige marketplace successful Varachha. From there, Arshit took him connected his motorcycle to Jagdishnagar, starring him to the 3rd level of a location wherever the 2 minors were waiting.Inside the room, investigators said, the trio threatened to exposure his intersexual predisposition if helium did not springiness them money.When the antheral told them helium had nary cash, they brutally thrashed him.The accused fled with Rs 450 and the victim’s mobile phone.Injured and shaken, the antheral called his son, who admitted him to a hospital. Initially, helium told his household that helium had fallen from a staircase and suffered caput injuries.But arsenic his information deteriorated, helium revealed what had truly happened wrong that room.He succumbed to his injuries connected February 28.After his death, Varachha constabulary registered an offence of execution and arrested the 3 accused.What started arsenic a concealed gathering arranged done a dating app, constabulary said, spiralled into threats, unit and a decease that mightiness person remained hidden had the unfortunate not spoken earlier it was excessively late.

Six-Month Honeytrap Racket On Gay App Ends Fake profiles. Deserted roads. Corporate executives targeted. A five-member gang’s six-month transgression way ends successful bullets connected NH-24.Swipe. Chat. Trust. Trap.In 2020, constabulary person busted a pack that allegedly honeytrapped astatine slightest 10 radical — including elder firm executives — aft luring them done a cheery dating app. The 5 accused were arrested pursuing a little speech of occurrence connected the work roadworthy betwixt Gadhi Chaukhandi and NH-24.The accused were identified arsenic Ajay Sharma, Rahul Saini, Ajay’s member Rajkumar, Manish and Kapil Sharma.

Ajay, alleged to beryllium the pack leader, worked astatine a spa successful Noida’s Sector 18.Police said diamond and golden jewellery worthy Rs 30 lakh was recovered from their possession. Also seized were 2 cars — a Brezza and a Honda City (stolen from Delhi) — 24 luxury watches, 2 country-made pistols and much than Rs 1 lakh successful cash.According to investigators, the pack had been progressive for the past 5 to six months. Using fake IDs connected the cheery dating app, they allegedly lured victims to desolate locations oregon visited their homes nether the pretext of providing location services.

Once isolated, the victims were robbed.Police said astir of the victims refrained from approaching authorities owed to fearfulness of societal stigma.DCP (Central Noida) Harish Chander stated that portion the accused admitted to looting arsenic galore arsenic 10 app users utilizing this modus operandi, constabulary identified 2 victims who formally lodged complaints astatine Sector 20 and Phase III constabulary stations.The archetypal reported incidental occurred connected February 26 successful the Sector 20 constabulary presumption area, wherever an enforcement moving astatine a backstage steadfast successful Sector 10 was allegedly robbed of Rs 45,000.The 2nd transgression took spot connected February 28 nether the Phase III constabulary presumption limits. In that case, a elder IT nonrecreational alleged that successful the aboriginal hours of February 28, portion returning location to Greater Noida (West) from work, helium was intercepted adjacent Cleo County successful Sector 121. Two of the accused stopped their motorcycle and allegedly took him to Sector 70.The IT nonrecreational was robbed of his ATM cards and wallet. Police said the accused aboriginal withdrew Rs 1.45 lakh from his slope accounts earlier dumping him adjacent the Golf Course.“The accused person been progressive successful transgression utilizing this modus operandi for the past five-six months and person admitted to visiting the homes of the targets wherever they would loot them,” Chander added.

Conned At First Sight! UPI Trail Exposes Dating App Racket A match. A meeting. A monolithic bill.What began arsenic a regular dating app transportation connected April 11 spiralled into an alleged extortion racket that led to the apprehension of 21 radical — six of them women — successful Mumbai.“However, it was aboriginal recovered that the accused, Ajay, had called the unfortunate to the spot aft contacting him done the dating app.

The unfortunate had been utilizing the app and the accused besides had IDs connected the app,” a constabulary serviceman said.Police said the women would scout for targets connected dating apps, invitation them to restaurants connected a “date”, and allegedly connive with edifice unit to make inflated bills. The men were past pressured into paying the excessive amount.The scam surfaced erstwhile 1 specified people sensed thing amiss astatine a edifice successful Borivli’s Eksar locality and dialled the constabulary helpline ‘100’.According to police, the complainant had matched with a 22-year-old pistillate identified arsenic Disha connected a dating app. After exchanging telephone numbers, the 2 agreed to conscionable astatine a edifice a time later. When the antheral reached the venue astir 6 pm, Disha was already there.The brace ordered liquor, a hookah cookware and vigor drinks. Soon, a measure of Rs 35,000 was presented to him.When the antheral refused to wage what helium described arsenic an “excessive” amount, a edifice staffer allegedly began threatening him, said an serviceman from MHB Colony constabulary station.

Sensing trouble, the antheral called the constabulary to the restaurant.Following the call, the measure was reduced to Rs 30,000, and the pistillate offered to wage half. The complainant paid Rs 15,000 done UPI.Later that day, however, helium realised that the outgo had been made to a idiosyncratic UPI ID — not to the restaurant’s authoritative account.Police tracked the UPI ID and scrutinised the woman’s telephone telephone records. The way led them backmost to the accused woman.

After questioning her, investigators uncovered what they described arsenic a larger racket.A squad led by lawman commissioner Anant Bhoite and elder inspector Ganesh Pawar arrested 21 radical successful transportation with the case.According to police, the women allegedly worked successful coordination with edifice unit who generated inflated bills. The targeted men were threatened into paying, and the pistillate would aboriginal person a stock of the wealth from the edifice staffer.What appeared to beryllium a elemental meal date, constabulary said, turned retired to beryllium a cautiously planned trap.The Model Who Wasn’t: Virtual Number, Fake Profile, Real Threats A second-year Delhi University pupil lodged a ailment astatine PS Cyber West aft being blackmailed by a antheral she met connected dating app successful aboriginal January 2024.He introduced himself arsenic a US-based freelance exemplary visiting India. They became friends.She shared backstage photographs and videos implicit Snapchat and WhatsApp.When she insisted connected meeting, helium declined repeatedly.Then helium sent her ain backstage video backmost to her and demanded money, threatening to leak oregon merchantability the content.Under pressure, she made a tiny payment. The demands continued.Police identified the accused arsenic 23-year-old Tushar Bisht of Shakarpur, Delhi.DCP West Vichitra Veer said Bisht had been utilizing a virtual planetary mobile fig for 2 years to registry connected platforms similar Bumble and Snapchat.He utilized the representation of a Brazilian exemplary arsenic his illustration representation and created fake IDs, befriending girls aged 18 to 30.During interrogation, constabulary said, Bisht admitted to communicating with hundreds of girls, signaling their backstage contented and extorting money.He said helium began for amusement. Later, it became greed.A Pattern EmergingAcross cases, investigators constituent to the aforesaid reddish flags — fake identities crafted to impress, affectional manipulation designed to disarm, cautiously engineered isolation, and finally, extortion. Police crossed states present caution that dating apps, portion wide utilized for genuine connections, are progressively being exploited by criminals who fell down anonymity, virtual numbers and stolen images.Different cities. Different motives.But the signifier is unmistakable.Fake identities. Emotional manipulation. Isolation. Extortion.And erstwhile fearfulness of vulnerability oregon apprehension sets successful — violence.In immoderate cases, victims are blackmailed into silence. In others, they are beaten. In the worst, they are killed.Police officers crossed states present pass that dating apps person go fertile crushed for criminals exploiting anonymity, exertion and stigma.As 1 serviceman investigating sextortion cases said, “Many radical judge the idiosyncratic connected the video telephone is genuine and live, which leads them into trouble.”Behind the filters and curated bios, predators wait.The swipe is easy.The consequences, sometimes, are irreversible.